Over the past couple of months I have spent quite a bit of time considering where I am. It’s interesting that when you leave somewhere you have been based for a very long time you can feel, in the new space, not quite sure what you are supposed to be doing with your time. I guess in the previous home I had all of my habits and rituals entrenched, and knew exactly what I did when I got home from work, or woke up on a Sunday morning. Part of the excitement of a new home was the chance to re-think and re-invent that cycle of living – not to suggest that it was flawed, more that it was time to welcome some change. What I did not necessarily count on was the wherever you go there you are factor – we moved and I began to repeat some of the habits that were in need of some change. It’s not exactly rocket science is it – like a new place was going to afford a new me! Clearly, that is far too simplistic a way of thinking about it. It has, however, highlighted how much I did want things in my life to perhaps take a different course.

Rightio – so how, exactly, do you change? I think that’s probably one of those questions that shortly gets followed by a bunch of uncomfortable throat clearings, a little shuffling of the feet, and eyes turned towards the ground. There is no simple answer – ya gotta put in the work. There is a theory that to affect any real change you have to stick with something for 100 days – to reset your thinking, create new habits, or change the way you do something. So this is what I have decided to do – for 100 days I am going to take a photograph every day. I obviously already take quite a few photos, but wanted to work with something that really makes my heart sing, and something that I truly enjoy.

My plan is to push my ability with the camera, try new things, have a go at looking at things from a different angle. I have also decided not to give myself any rules about format – it may be with my SLR, but it may also simply be with my phone. 100 days is actually rather a long tome and I think it wise to start with something that doesn’t feel too hard, but allows some re-thinking along with some creativity thrown in for extra merit. Funnily the New Zealand chapter of the 100 Days project is actually starting up in a few weeks, if this idea tickles your fancy and you would like to get involved in the bigger picture you can join here. And if you would like a little help, advice, or guidance on choosing an idea this podcast by Elise Blaha-Cripe is especailly good, and comes from two people who have just finished the project successfully. And yes the first thing they say is pick something you find easy, because if it’s hard at the start you will never last at 100 days of it!

Day 1 of 100 – These photo’s are from a walk Mia and I took to a local park – it has been cold with snow showers today, and the light and colours have been just amazing.